


Forget Me For A While

by kethni



Series: The Silent Land [2]
Category: Veep (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21955027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: It had to be said that negotiating Lee’s Christmas had been more complicated than Sue had expected.
Relationships: Kent Davison/Sue Wilson
Series: The Silent Land [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1580635
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	Forget Me For A While

**Author's Note:**

> For CrazyMaryT

Christmas was not Sue’s favourite holiday. She had little interest in either religious rituals or childish sentimentality. She far preferred New Year, which combined looking forward to the future, a philosophy which had become increasingly meaningful to her, with alcohol.

New Year’s Eve was for adults. Christmas was for children.

This was the first Christmas since she was a child in which Sue had any investment whatsoever. That was entirely because of the Davison men. She had expected Lee to be excited for Christmas. She had not expected Kent to be excited for it.

‘There’s nothing wrong with indulging one’s inner child,’ Kent said, as he strung tinsel across her windows.

‘I do not have an inner child,’ she said firmly.

‘Everyone has an inner child.’ He climbed down the stepladder. ‘The more overtly mature one is, the more important it is to indulge it.’

‘Men say that,’ Sue said firmly. ‘Because women are always the ones doing the work.’

Kent brushed off his hands. ‘I’ve decorated your entire home –’

‘I didn’t ask you too.’

‘ –and I’ve put the dinner in the oven.’

‘I didn’t ask you to do that either,’ Sue said.

‘That’s not the point,’ Kent said, walking over. ‘I have been working.’

‘Blah, blah,’ she said, leaning in to kiss him.

‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome. Are you planning on thanking me for each individual act of affection?’

Kent chuckled. ‘I can if you wish. I was actually thanking you for allowing me to decorate your home. It means a lot to me to be able to give Lee a cheerful Christmas.’

‘He’s a small child,’ Sue said. ‘As long as there are gifts, he’ll be happy.’

‘And food,’ Kent said. ‘He does like all the carbs and the desserts.’

Rochester barked once and climbed onto the couch to look through the window.

‘He’s going to outgrow this place soon,’ Kent said wryly.

Sue rolled her eyes. ‘Men will insist on taking up all available room.’

‘Hmm, yes,’ Kent said. ‘While you are of course so shy and retiring that we hardly know that you’re there.’

Sue ignored him and looked out of the window. ‘Lee’s here.’

Kent straightened his shirt. ‘I’ll get the door if you prefer.’

Sue snorted. ‘I’m not afraid of your former in-laws.’

‘Fear wasn’t the emotion I was ascribing to you,’ Kent said.

Sue stalked to the door. ‘I won’t insult them either.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Much,’ she said sweetly.

It had to be said that negotiating Lee’s Christmas had been more complicated than Sue had expected. It hadn’t even occurred to her that they would have to accommodate Kent’s family as well as Leigh’s. His family was primarily in Oregon and his mother was both elderly and quite frail. The idea that they would fly out to D.C. seemed implausible at best. Yet they had yesterday and would be spending tomorrow with Kent and, more importantly, with Lee. Sue would be spending the day with her mother. She was not convinced that was better.

‘Hi Sue!’ Lee said, throwing his arms around her. ‘I missed you!’

She rubbed his back and kissed the top of his head. ‘I missed you too.’

‘Where’s daddy?’ he asked, looking up at her.

‘He’s inside.’ Sue stepped aside to let him run into the house. ‘Hello Judith, Laurence. Would you like to have a coffee before you go?’

‘It would be nice to say goodbye to KJ properly,’ Judith said.

Sue gestured at the open doorway. ‘Please come in.’

‘We would have liked to have had him longer,’ Laurence said as they walked into the living room.

Lee was nowhere to be seen but neither was Rochester. They were probably romping around in the garden.

‘You should take that up with Kent,’ Sue said firmly. ‘I don’t get involved. It’s best for everyone.’

‘Are they moving in here?’ Judith asked. ‘Kent claimed that he wanted to remain at the house because KJ had memories of Leigh there.

Sue tilted her head. ‘That’s _why_ we’re having Christmas here. The therapist suggested it so that Lee’s memories of Christmas with Leigh at the house wouldn’t be muddled with memories of me.’

The door opened at Kent walked in.

‘I’m making the coffees,’ Sue announced.

The truth was that Kent had more patience for Laurence and Judith ever would. Given that Leigh had asked Kent to look after Lee during her lowest point, rather than her parents, Sue suspected that Leigh also had limited patience for them. Perhaps Kent could imagine the loss of a child in a way that Sue certainly couldn’t. That, in Sue’s opinion, was no excuse either for believing that Leigh’s choices were wrong or that Kent wasn’t a fit father.

‘Might I have a glass of water?’ Laurence asked. ‘I’ve never been able to swallow pills dry.’

‘Headache?’ Sue asked, handing him a small glass.

‘Arthritis,’ he said. ‘Better since I had my hips replaced.’

‘I wasn’t aware that you were a cyborg,’ Sue said dryly.

‘Knees will be next,’ he said. ‘It’s genetic. Leigh would probably have had it.’

Sue poured the coffees. ‘Bye the time Lee is old enough for it to be an issue they might’ve found a cure.’

‘You have more faith in medicine than I do. After what happened with Leigh…’

‘My husband was killed instantly,’ Sue said. ‘A broken neck. Everyone tells me that he was lucky.’

Laurence actually thought about it. ‘Leigh didn’t have a chance to say goodbye because she had no idea what was going to happen. But she was comfortable, and she’d just seen her son. That’s not nothing.’

Sue shook her head. ‘No. It’s not nothing.’

He took the tray of coffees and followed her back into the living room. Judith was looking at the photographs on the mantlepiece.

‘You still have pictures up of your wedding,’ Judith noted.

‘Of course,’ Sue said. ‘Dating Kent doesn’t alter the fact that I loved Doug and I’m still grieving him.’

Judith folded her arms. ‘You are dating Kent then.’

Laurence shuffled his feet. ‘Leigh and Kent weren’t dating,’ he said quietly.

‘I have neither the intention nor the ability to take Leigh’s place,’ Sue said. ‘Perhaps more to the point, Kent would not allow that to happen. He works very hard to keep Leigh’s memory alive.’

Judith’s shoulders dropped slightly. ‘And you keep your husband’s memory alive.’

‘I do,’ Sue said. ‘His name is Doug.’ She straightened her blouse. ‘Where is Kent?’

‘They’re putting out a sign,’ Judith said. ‘KJ was worried that since he’s staying here, Santa might not be able to find him.’

Sue smiled slightly. ‘Ah, impeccable child logic.’

‘Leigh hated Santa,’ Laurence said. ‘Do you remember?’

‘Lot of nonsense,’ Judith said. ‘It was because that one at the mall frightened her.’

‘Mall Santas can be a little much when children are very young,’ Laurence said.

The front door was opened, and Kent came in with Lee.

‘Nana, we’re having Christmas here with Sue!’ 

Judith nodded. ‘Yes. I know. You’ve told us.’

‘He’s excited,’ Kent said, ruffling Lee’s hair. ‘He has three families with which to share his time.’

‘That must be nice,’ Judith said sourly.

Laurence gave her a warning glance. ‘If you need anyone to babysit for New Year’s, we’re available.’

Kent pushed his fingers through his hair. ‘We’re going to my sister’s.’

‘Oh.’

‘You see him every week,’ Sue pointed out. ‘Kent’s family see him less than once a month.’

Judith set her shoulders. ‘You’re right. How selfish of us.’

Lee looked up. ‘Don’t fight!’

Kent knelt in front of him. ‘Nana and grandad are going home soon. Give them a big hug and I’ll take you upstairs to get undressed before your shower.’

‘Okay, daddy!’

Sue looked away as they embraced. She didn’t want to see their faces. It made them too human. Too sympathetic. She needed them to be hateable.

‘See you soon, KJ,’ Judith said, as he traipsed up the stairs with Kent.

‘I’ll get the packages from the car,’ Laurence said. ‘We can’t have Santa miss the house.’

‘That would be a disaster,’ Sue said dryly. ‘Especially for a four-year-old boy.’

Judith smiled slightly. ‘Leigh used to be terrible. She would try to find all the presents and unwrap them. Then she’d try to wrap them up again and hope we wouldn’t notice.’

‘Amateurish,’ Sue said. ‘Much more practical to check the credit card receipts.’

Judith smiled slightly. ‘Is that what you did?’

‘I admit nothing,’ Sue said.

The stairs creaked as Kent came downstairs. ‘Everything okay?’

‘Thank you for letting him stay,’ Laurence said stiffly.

‘I know that he enjoyed himself,’ Kent said. He walked them to the front door and let them out.

Sue untied her hair and shook it out. ‘I’ll go and say goodnight to Lee.’

Kent kissed her softly. ‘I know he missed you.’

‘I missed him too,’ she said. ‘Although it was nice having you to myself for a while.’

He smiled. ‘I know what you mean.’

The End.


End file.
